Fall River Open Studios Tour Saturday

The Open Studios Tour of Fall River artist work spaces is a really wonderful thing, and is free and open to the public, suitable for children of all ages. The tour begins at 1 West Street, with a tour of the spaces in the mill there. Then you are welcome to jump on a trolley for a ride to each stop, returning you to your car at 1 West.

It is supposed to be a beautiful day, so join us, won’t you?

From the Herald News, by Kevin O’Connor:

The mills of the city are still hard at work.

They have just slipped back a few centuries. They now host businesses from the pre-industrial age.

You can see that time travel during the city’s Open Studios, a tour of artist studios around the city from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

“We have furniture makers, painters, jewelry makers, woodworkers, people who work in ceramics,” said Alison Horvitz, a painter with a workshop at Border City Studios, 1 West St.

“Every year it is a surprise to see all the work being done in Fall River.”
Horvitz organized the first studio tour, three years ago, after hearing of similar tours in other cities and winning a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council to make it happen.

Fall River Arts United and Mayor Will Flanagan have gotten involved since then, too, helping with the logistics of parking and trolleys.

The result is a easy day for anyone interested in the creative process and the end result of products made by artists and artisans, one piece at a time.

Seven studio sites will be open, many of which are shared by several artists.

The tour will be headquartered at the Border City Studios, 1 West St., just off the north end of North Main Street.

There will be maps available at every studio and a trolley making the loop of the spaces open for the public.

Border City Studio was chosen as the headquarters at least in part because of the ample parking at that site.

“I’ve spoken to people from Brockton and Stoughton coming to this tour rather than tours in Cambridge or Somerville because ours is easier and more accessible and because we have parking,” Horvitz said.

The quality of the work being shown and offered for sale brings people back year after year, she added.

At Border City Studios, artists will open their workshops, showing fine art, pottery, jewelry, furniture making and woodworking.

Page B. Studios and Smoke Stack Studios, 192 Anawan St., will offer sculpture, furniture, woodworking, examples of industrial design and metal work.

The Narrows Center for The Arts, 16 Anawan St., has a rotating cadre of artists and exhibits.

Spindle City Ballet, 288 Plymouth Ave., will host an open rehearsal from 1 to 4 p.m.

Fall River Art Association, 80 Belmont St., has seven resident artists. The Fall River Preservation Society will also open its offices.

On Stage Production, 104 Anawan St., will host an open rehearsal from 1 to 4 p.m.

Little Theatre of Fall River will host Backstage at The Fire Barn, 340 Prospect St., from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be tours of the backstage areas, showing costumes, props, lighting and sound. Broadway show tunes and holiday songs will be rehearsed from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The Cherry & Webb Gallery, 139 South Main St., will offer a pottery exhibit and a performance by Cuban and African musicians.

An opening reception will be hosted at 1 West St. by Arts United Fall River.

“What people will see is that we have extremely high-caliber artists working in the city,” said Patrice Cloutier, director of cultural development for the city. “You don’t get a chance to see this every day. These are small businesses operating in private, generally. The artists are kind enough to open their private studios to us.”

“It is always a surprise to me, to see the work being done in the city,” Horvitz added. “Even though I’m involved in the arts here in Fall River, everyone goes into their studio and closes the door to work.

“This is the best way to see what is really being done.”

And for nonartists, it is a good time to start shopping for the holidays, organizers say.

“When you buy at a gallery, the gallery has to make money, so the pieces cost more,” Horvitz said. “This is also a great opportunity for people to purchase art at a reasonable price.”